Peter founded and co-founded several companies and serves as Advisory Board member in various UAE based Tech-companies. He has 30 years of experience in advising and working with SMEs. In Germany, Peter launched Concept NECTO, an international consultancy driven by the passion for helping new impact innovators and entrepreneurs advance along their pathway from promising idea to realized impact on individual, venture and ecosystem level. Peter co-founded The Advisory Group, a Tech-Hub based in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) and A2GG based in QLD (Australia) for rapidly establishing and accelerating companies in the UAE, Australia and beyond. In his previous capacity Peter acted for more than 10 years as Senior Director Growth & Internationalization with PwC’s Accelerator Global Hub in Luxembourg.

He also has supported international clients on the ground in the design, structuring, implementing and executing of opportunity driven Advanced Support Programs and Assistant Packages for entrepreneurs and SMEs to take their ideas and businesses to the next level both locally and internationally. He assessed and assisted hundreds of SMEs in their local and international development strategy and execution. Peter supported entrepreneurs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Innovators and Entrepreneurs support programs to accelerate the growth of the Tourism Sector – Bootcamps, Accelerators, Mentorship programs), in the UAE (Set up of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Accelerator), Ukraine and Sri Lanka (Champion Building program set up), and the Russian Federation (Entrepreneurship and Business & Export programs for REC, MEC, RVC, Perm Krai Region). In Europe, he launched, led and developed for PwC Europe the PwC’s Accelerator in Germany (Berlin) and was engaged in operating the program EU Gateway/Business Avenues to Asia on behalf of the European Union to prepare and support 2.700 EU based SMEs across nine industries to enter nine selected Asian markets.

As an international Panelist, Moderator, Workshop leader, Peter is experienced in giving entrepreneurial lessons on growth development and internationalization (On the Ground, Radio, TV, Podcast).

Stewart has 45 years of experience in launching and leading international businesses, including 30 years experience in the Middle East.

Stewart started his banking career with Samuel Montagu. He moved to the UAE in 1977 as a founding member of Khalij Commercial Bank, rebranded ADCB as Chief Accountant, later joining NBAD (rebranded FAB) as Comptroller which incorporated COO and CFO duties.

Moving into consulting with Deloitte in the MENA region he was latterly managing partner for the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Banking and IT Practice in Warsaw.

Clients included GM, Reckitt Benckiser, L’Oreal, Citibank, Creditanstaldt, Allied Irish, National Westminster, Bank Gdansk, Bank PEKAO, Unicredito. He managed the acquisition of a Polish bank by ING. He also returned to the UAE to deliver projects for ADIA, NBAD, NBD and NBF.

In 1996 he joined Sanchez Computer Associates as MD, a Philadelphia banking IT developer owned by Safeguard Scientific’s VC fund. He contributed value to the successful IPO in 1998 and Sanchez was later acquired by FIS the global banking IT company.

In 2000, Stewart was appointed COO of Hebros Bank Bulgaria, investee of Charlemagne Capital, refocussing the business resulting in the disposal to Bank Austria Creditanstaldt. He advised the board of four Charlemagne banks in Croatia which merged to create Novabanka.

From 2005 in the UAE Stewart and worked on client assignments including Safeguard Scientific, Mubadala; Emirates NBD; NBAD; a London listed oil & gas fund.

He advised several international institutions establishing a presence in the UAE four of which were in the World Top 100 banks. As interim CEO of a UAE IT and oil & gas services group (400 headcount) he relaunched them in the technology market.

Ali has 25 years of experience across various industries, e.g., Technology, Oil & Gas, Banking, strategic government sectors (UAE National Innovation Strategy, Economic Development Vision 2030), and business investments of the future.

As a UAE National Ali is well connected in the local and regional ecosystem with direct access to private and public decision makers, Family offices and UHNWIs as drivers of the in the social and business community.

As an ambassador of the ecosystem, he acts as an “opportunity creator” and “doors opener”, and in this role, Ali has assisted dozens of foreign businesses and companies to successfully enter the market and find strategic and investment partners.

Johann has 25 years of practical experience in the theory and application of Asset/Liability Management (ALM), Funds Transfer Pricing (FTP) and Capital allocation. From a practical perspective Johann was responsible for the establishment and management of Nedcor Bank’s ALM process. During his 9 years he developed and piloted the first matched-funded FTP process in a South African bank. He was one of the first consultants in the Banking & Finance Practice of KPMG in South Africa. During his time with the firm, he provided expert ALM advice to banks in South Africa and as subject matter expert with KPMG Australia to clients in Indonesia.

In 1999 he joined The Group of 31, a joint venture between KPMG and Decillion Ltd, as a Director. He was responsible for ALM outsourcing and strategy development & implementation to client banks.

In 2001 Johann co-founded ALMetrics, a specialized ALM/FTP consulting firm, focusing on the Middle East and Africa.

Over the past 10 years, he has worked with numerous banks in the UAE. In particular he re-engineered the ALM process in Mashreq Bank and developed and implemented the Funding Centre concept for the bank. He provided a complete turnkey ALM solution to Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank from 2006 to 2010 and assisted with ALM/FTP system selection and provides functional implementation assistance of the selected system.

From March 2010 he provided a turnkey ALM and FTP service to Al Hilal Bank. This includes ALM & FTP analysis, reporting and independent monthly strategy advice to the Assets and Liabilities Committee. In 2010 and early 2011 he acted as Treasury and ALM/FTP subject matter expert for the development of the Target Operating Model (TOM) design of Group Corporate Treasury in Lloyds Banking Group.

Johann is a frequent speaker at industry conferences on the theory and application of strategic ALM and FTP.

Joanne is a qualified accountant and has over 25 years of experience in public practice as well as the global corporate sector having held roles as Executive Director for EMEA as well as CEO for mutli-national Tech companies. Joanne is a proven manager with an ability to provide strong leadership, manage professional teams across diverse geographical locations, and consistently deliver bottom line results whilst meeting or exceeding company procedural requirements.

Joanne has an extensive knowledge of marketing activities across many industries. A proven track record of strategically positioning products to optimize performance both now and in the future. Strong implementation skills which have been demonstrated to align marketing activities with overall Corporate Strategy.